


unforeseen circumstances

by tellmewhatyousee



Series: AceLaw Week 2021 [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, First Meetings, Gen, Pre-Canon, Rescue, near-drowning, perhaps a second chapter will surface eventually but for now it works on its own
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29035944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tellmewhatyousee/pseuds/tellmewhatyousee
Summary: “Shouldn’t we get going, Captain?” asked Shachi, who had already turned to face the docks. “I heard that guy’s crazy. This could get ugly.”“Not yet,” Law said, holding an arm out in front of Shachi. “I’d like to see where this goes."AceLaw Week, Day 1: Rescue Mission | Ocean
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace & Trafalgar D. Water Law
Series: AceLaw Week 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2137131
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23
Collections: AceLaw Week 2021





	unforeseen circumstances

**Author's Note:**

> happy acelaw week! this event has been in the works for many months and i'm SO excited to kick it off and share what i've made.
> 
> this is for 2 of today's prompts: rescue mission & ocean. i also made an edit for the fire first/surgeon of death prompt, which you can find over [here!](https://tellmewhatyouc.tumblr.com/post/641891739934818304/fire-fist-surgeon-of-death-my-first-prompt-fill)

The Heart Pirates weren’t the sightseeing type. They preferred to fly under the radar as much as possible, only surfacing when it was absolutely necessary— which usually meant either they were due for a supply run, or Bepo wouldn’t stop complaining about how hot he was. Today, in particular, it was the former.

They’d already gathered all their supplies, but they had yet to return to the Polar Tang. Oddly enough, it wasn’t Bepo holding them back this time— it was their captain.

Just as they’d left the town, a fight had begun. And Law, instead of ducking away like he usually did, was just _watching._ They’d seen the wanted poster, heard the stories of a rookie pirate making waves across the East Blue. He’d barely started out, and his bounty nearly rivaled Law’s.

The man soaring through the air was none other than Fire Fist Ace.

“Shouldn’t we get going, Captain?” asked Shachi, who had already turned to face the docks. “I heard that guy’s crazy. This could get ugly.”

“Not yet,” Law said, holding an arm out in front of Shachi. “I’d like to see where this goes.”

Shachi’s posture slumped, and he turned around to face the action again. If they were going to stay there, he figured he might as well enjoy the show. All the while, Penguin and Bepo stood close by, equal parts curious and anxious about the sight before them.

They couldn’t tell what was going on, who Ace was even up against. While Ace soared through the air, his opponent kept closer to the ground, obscured by buildings and trees. It was hard to tell who had the upper hand...

That is, until Ace flew straight over their heads, no longer ablaze. The four Heart Pirates spun around to watch his trip through the sky, following his path until he plummeted straight into the ocean.

For a moment, no one said anything. Then, Law gave a single command: “Penguin. Go get him.”

Penguin’s back straightened, his eyes wide with shock. “What? Why me?”

“Because you’re the strongest swimmer here,” Law replied. That wasn’t _entirely_ true— Bepo was the best out of them, naturally. But he also hated getting his fur wet, and Law really wasn’t up for that argument at the moment, so he chose Penguin instead. “Hurry. He’s probably sinking like a rock.”

Without any further protest, Penguin passed his hat to Shachi and ran towards the docks, shedding his boiler suit along the way. The rest of them followed after him and watched as he dove into the icy depths.

“Shachi, I need you to go back to the ship,” Law ordered, “Grab as many towels and blankets as you can carry.”

“Aye,” Shachi replied with a quick salute before he rushed off towards the ship. Meanwhile, Bepo watched the water like a hawk, ready to dive in at a moment’s notice if the situation called for it.

Almost a full minute passed before a head surfaced a good distance away from the dock, and Law let out a sigh of relief when he saw a second appear after it. Penguin had it under control; all he had to do was get back to the dock with Ace in tow.

“Is he breathing?” Law asked once Penguin was within earshot. 

“Barely,” Penguin called back. “He’s out cold.”

“Just keep going,” Law told Penguin. “Shachi’s on his way with blankets. You can warm up once he gets back.”

Penguin pressed on, one arm wrapped around Ace while the other propelled them forward. Law crouched down at the edge of the dock as he got closer, and with Bepo’s help, lifted Ace out of the water. Penguin could get out just fine on his own, so they didn’t have to worry about him— Law had to remind himself of that as he directed all his attention towards Ace. The man still had a faint pulse, but he definitely wasn’t breathing anymore.

Law would have to work quickly.

He braced his hands against the center of Ace’s chest before he began compressions, counting under his breath to keep the correct rhythm. He heard Shachi’s voice behind them, but he tried to keep his focus on the problem in front of him. Penguin wasn’t drowning, after all; at worst, he was cold and wet. He could handle that. He’d be fine.

“I need help over here!” Law called over his shoulder. When Shachi rushed to his side, he continued, “I need you to keep checking for breathing sounds. I can’t stop right now.”

Shachi nodded before he knelt down on the other side of the body, checking Ace’s pulse and lowering his head to listen for any signs of breathing. While Shachi wasn’t a doctor in any sense, he at least had enough medical training to identify basic signs of life.

The only problem was that Ace wasn’t showing many of those signs, even after Law had been at it for a while.

“I’m gonna need you to take over in a second,” Law said. Chest compressions were exhausting— he could only go for so long before he needed a break. He waited until Shachi hovered over Ace with his fingers locked together before he said, “Go. Count 30 before you pause, then I’ll start rescue breaths.”

Shachi did just as he was asked, pumping away while counting under his breath. With a moment to spare, Law allowed himself a glance over his shoulder. Penguin was wrapped in towels, shivering in Bepo’s arms, while they both watched the scene unfold before them. When they made eye contact, Penguin offered Law a smile and a shaky thumbs-up. He was fine.

“28, 29, 30,” Shachi counted aloud, and pulled away just in time for Law to lean in and take over. Law tilted Ace’s head back and pinched his nose before he sealed their lips together and exhaled. He repeated that once more before he pulled back, and Shachi continued compressions.

“He can use his powers to warm himself up once he’s back, right?” Shachi asked, sounding slightly out of breath.

“Probably not while he’s drenched in seawater, no,” Law replied. “We’ll have to dry him off. But my priority right now is making sure he starts breathing again.”

As if on cue, a harsh gasp sounded from beneath them, and Shachi stopped compressions. Law looked down to see Ace’s wide eyes darting around while he coughed. Without a moment’s hesitation, Shachi rolled him onto his side so he could get the seawater out of his system. 

“That’s it, just cough it up,” Shachi muttered, patting Ace’s back to help the process. Law looked over his shoulder again and gestured for Bepo, who ran over with a blanket and a couple towels. They waited until Ace stopped coughing before Law sat him up, and Bepo got to work drying him off.

“Wh… what happened?” Ace asked, seemingly unphased by the polar bear rubbing him down. “Where am I?”

“Well, thanks to my crew, you’re not at the bottom of the ocean,” Law answered. “How are you feeling?”

“Cold,” Ace answered. The salt water made his voice scratchy. “Kinda nauseous. Where’s that Vice Admiral guy?”

Law glanced behind them, towards the city. “You were fighting a Vice Admiral?”

“Still am, if I’ve got anything to say about it,” Ace said. He made a move to stand up, though his dizziness and the three men surrounding him set him right back down.

“You almost drowned,” Shachi chimed in. “You should take it easy for a while.”

“Shouldn’t we get out of here?” Bepo asked. “I don’t think we’re ready to take on a Vice Admiral.”

“I don’t think so, either,” Law replied. He looked down at Fire Fist, eyeing him carefully before he addressed Bepo again. “Bring him to the infirmary. We can submerge and lay low until the coast is clear.”

Ace opened his mouth to protest, but it was too late. Bepo had already wrapped him in a blanket and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Whether he wanted to or not, he’d be taking a detour in the Polar Tang.


End file.
